by Nonnus
καὶ θεὸν ἱλάσκοντο μεθ᾽ υἱέα Περσεφονείης,
καὶ Σεμέλης μετὰ παῖδα, θυηπολίας δὲ Λυαίῳ
ὀψιγόνῳ στήσαντο καὶ ἀρχεγόνῳ Διονύσῳ,
965 καὶ τριτάτῳ νέον ὕμνον ἐπεσμαράγησαν Ἰάκχῳ.
καὶ τελεταῖς τρισσῇσιν ἐβακχεύθησαν Ἀθῆναι:
καὶ χορὸν ὀψιτέλεστον ἀνεκρούσαντο πολῖται
Ζαγρέα κυδαίνοντες ἅμα Βρομίῳ καὶ Ἰάκχῳ.
οὐδὲ Κυδωναίων ἐπελήσατο Βάκχος Ἐρώτων,
970 ἀλλὰ καὶ ὀλλυμένης προτέρης ἐμνήσατο νύμφης:
καὶ Στέφανον περίκυκλον ἀποιχομένης Ἀριάδνης
μάρτυν ἑῆς φιλότητος ἀνεστήριξεν Ὀλύμπῳ,
ἄγγελον οὐ λήγοντα φιλοστεφάνων ὑμεναίων.
καὶ θεὸς ἀμπελόεις πατρώιον αἰθέρα βαίνων
975 πατρὶ σὺν εὐώδινι μιῆς ἔψαυσε τραπέζης,
καὶ βροτέην μετὰ δαῖτα, μετὰ προτέρην χύσιν οἴνου
οὐράνιον πίε νέκταρ ἀρειοτέροισι κυπέλλοις,
σύνθρονος Ἀπόλλωνι, συνέστιος υἱέι Μαίης.
The Dual Text
‘Actaeon Surprising Artemis in the bath’ by Titian, 1556-59 — which occurs in the fifth book of the epic
DUAL GREEK AND ENGLISH TEXT
Translated by W. H. D. Rouse
In this section, readers can view a section by section text of Nonnus’ epic poem, alternating between the original Greek and Rouse’s English translation.
CONTENTS
BOOK 1
BOOK 2
BOOK 3
BOOK 4
BOOK 5
BOOK 6
BOOK 7
BOOK 8
BOOK 9
BOOK 10
BOOK 11
BOOK 12
BOOK 13
BOOK 14
BOOK 15
BOOK 16
BOOK 17
BOOK 18
BOOK 19
BOOK 20
BOOK 21
BOOK 22
BOOK 23
BOOK 24
BOOK 25
BOOK 26
BOOK 27
BOOK 28
BOOK 29
BOOK 30
BOOK 31
BOOK 32
BOOK 33
BOOK 34
BOOK 35
BOOK 36
BOOK 37
BOOK 38
BOOK 39
BOOK 40
BOOK 41
BOOK 42
BOOK 43
BOOK 44
BOOK 45
BOOK 46
BOOK 47
BOOK 48
BOOK 1
πρῶτον ἔχει Κρονίωνα, φαεσφόρον ἅρπαγα νύμφης,
καὶ παλάμαις Τυφῶνος ἀρασσόμενον πόλον ἄστρων.
εἰπέ, θεά, Κρονίδαο διάκτορον αἴθοπος αὐγῆς,
νυμφιδίῳ σπινθῆρι μογοστόκον ἄσθμα κεραυνοῦ,
καὶ στεροπὴν Σεμέλης θαλαμηπόλον: εἰπὲ δὲ φύτλην
Βάκχου δισσοτόκοιο, τὸν ἐκ πυρὸς ὑγρὸν ἀείρας
5 Ζεὺς βρέφος ἡμιτέλεστον ἀμαιεύτοιο τεκούσης,
φειδομέναις παλάμῃσι τομὴν μηροῖο χαράξας,
ἄρσενι γαστρὶ λόχευσε, πατὴρ καὶ πότνια μήτηρ,
εὖ εἰδὼς τόκον ἄλλον, ἐπεὶ γονόεντι καρήνῳ,
ἄσπορον ὄγκον ἄπιστον ἔχων ἐγκύμονι κόρσῃ,
10 τεύχεσιν ἀστράπτουσαν ἀνηκόντιζεν Ἀθήνην.
BOOK I
The first contains Cronion, light-bearing ravisher of the nymph, and the starry heaven battered by Typhon’s hands.
Tell the tale, Goddess, of Cronides’ courier with fiery flame, the gasping travail which the thunderbolt brought with sparks for wedding-torches, the lightning in waiting upon Semele’s nuptials; tell the naissance of Bacchos twice-born, whom Zeus lifted still moist from the fire, a baby half-complete born without midwife; how with shrinking hands he cut the incision in his thigh and carried him in his man’s womb, father and gracious mother at once – and well he remembered another birth, when his own head conceived, when his temple was big with child, and he carried that incredible unbegotten lump, until he shot out Athena scintillating in her armour.
ἄξατέ μοι νάρθηκα, τινάξατε κύμβαλα, Μοῦσαι,
καὶ παλάμῃ δότε θύρσον ἀειδομένου Διονύσου:
ἀλλὰ χοροῦ ψαύοντα, Φάρῳ παρὰ γείτονι νήσῳ,
στήσατέ μοι Πρωτῆα πολύτροπον, ὄφρα φανείη
15 ποικίλον εἶδος ἔχων, ὅτι ποικίλον ὕμνον ἀράσσω:
εἰ γὰρ ἐφερπύσσειε δράκων κυκλούμενος ὁλκῷ,
μέλψω θεῖον ἄεθλον, ὅπως κισσώδεϊ θύρσῳ
φρικτὰ δρακοντοκόμων ἐδαΐζετο φῦλα Γιγάντων:
εἰ δὲ λέων φρίξειεν ἐπαυχενίην τρίχα σείων,
20 Βάκχον ἀνευάξω βλοσυρῆς ἐπὶ πήχεϊ Ῥείης
μαζὸν ὑποκλέπτοντα λεοντοβότοιο θεαίνης:
εἰ δὲ θυελλήεντι μετάρσιος ἅλματι ταρσῶν
πόρδαλις ἀίξῃ πολυδαίδαλον εἶδος ἀμείβων,
ὑμνήσω Διὸς υἷα, πόθεν γένος ἔκτανεν Ἰνδῶν
25 πορδαλίων ὀχέεσσι καθιππεύσας ἐλεφάντων:
εἰ δέμας ἰσάζοιτο τύπῳ συός, υἷα Θυώνης
ἀείσω ποθέοντα συοκτόνον εὔγαμον Αὔρην,
ὀψιγόνου τριτάτοιο Κυβηλίδα μητέρα Βάκχου:
εἰ δὲ πέλοι μιμηλὸν ὕδωρ, Διόνυσον ἀείσω
30 κόλπον ἁλὸς δύνοντα κορυσσομένοιο Λυκούργου:
εἰ φυτὸν αἰθύσσοιτο νόθον ψιθύρισμα τιταίνων,
μνήσομαι Ἰκαρίοιο, πόθεν παρὰ θυιάδι ληνῷ
βότρυς ἁμιλλητῆρι ποδῶν ἐθλίβετο ταρσῷ.
[11] Bring me the fennel, rattle the cymbals, ye Muses! put in my hand the wand of Dionysos whom I sing: but bring me a partner for your dance in the neighbouring island of Paros, Proteus of many turns, that he may appear in all his diversity of shapes, since I twang my harp to a diversity of songs. For if, as a serpent, he should glide along his winding trail, I will sing my god’s achievement, how with ivy-wreathed wand he destroyed the horrid hosts of Giants serpent-haired. If as a lion he shake his bristling mane, I will cry “Euoi!” to Bacchos on the arm of buxom Rheia, stealthily draining the breast of the lionbreeding goddess. If as a leopard he shoot up into the air with a stormy leap from his pads, changing shape like a master-craftsman, I will hymn the son of Zeus, how he slew the Indian nation, with his team of pards riding down the elephants. If he make his figure like the shape of a boar, I will sing Thyone’s son, love-sick for Aura the desirable,
boarslayer, daughter of Cybele, mother of the third Bacchos late-born. If he be mimic water, I will sing Dionysos diving into the bosom of the brine, when Lycurgos armed himself. If he become a quivering tree and tune a counterfeit whispering, I will tell of Icarios, how in the jubilant winepress his feet crushed the grape in rivalry.
Ἄξατέ μοι νάρθηκα, Μιμαλλόνες, ὠμαδίην δὲ
35 νεβρίδα ποικιλόνωτον ἐθήμονος ἀντὶ χιτῶνος
σφίγξατέ μοι στέρνοισι, Μαρωνίδος ἔμπλεον ὀδμῆς
νεκταρέης, βυθίῃ δὲ παρ᾽ Εἰδοθέῃ καὶ Ὁμήρῳ
φωκάων βαρὺ δέρμα φυλασσέσθω Μενελάῳ.
εὔιά μοι δότε ῥόπτρα καὶ αἰγίδας, ἡδυμελῆ δὲ
40 ἄλλῳ δίθροον αὐλὸν ὀπάσσατε, μὴ καὶ ὀρίνω
Φοῖβον ἐμόν: δονάκων γὰρ ἀναίνεται ἔμπνοον ἠχώ,
ἐξ ὅτε Μαρσύαο θεημάχον αὐλὸν ἐλέγξας
δέρμα παρῃώρησε φυτῷ κολπούμενον αὔραις,
γυμνώσας ὅλα γυῖα λιπορρίνοιο νομῆος.
[34] Bring me the fennel, Mimallons! On my shoulders in place of the wonted kirtle, bind, I pray, tight over my breast a dapple-back fawnskin, full of the perfume of Maronian nectar; and let Homer and deep-sea Eidothea keep the rank skin of the seals for Menelaos. Give me the jocund tambours and the goatskins! but leave for another the double-sounding pipe with its melodious sweetness, or I may offend my own Apollo; for he rejects the sound of breathing reeds, ever since he put to shame Marsyas and his god-defiant pipes, and bared every limb of the skin-stript shepherd, and hung his skin on a tree to belly in the breezes.
45 ἀλλά, θεά, μαστῆρος ἀλήμονος ἄρχεο Κάδμου.
[45] Then come now, Goddess, begin with the long search and the travels of Cadmos.
Σιδονίης ποτὲ ταῦρος ἐπ᾽ ᾐόνος ὑψίκερως Ζεὺς
ἱμερόεν μύκημα νόθῳ μιμήσατο λαιμῷ
καὶ γλυκὺν εἶχε μύωπα: μετοχμάζων δὲ γυναῖκα,
κυκλώσας παλάμας περὶ, γαστέρα δίζυγι δεσμῷ,
50 βαιὸς Ἔρως κούφιζε, καὶ ἐγγύθεν ὑγροπόρος βοῦς
κυρτὸν ὑποστορέσας λοφίην ἐπιβήτορι κούρῃ,
δόχμιος ὀκλάζων, κεχαλασμένα νῶτα τιταίνων,
Εὐρώπην ἀνάειρε: διεσσυμένοιο δὲ ταύρου
πλωτὸς ὄνυξ ἐχάραξε βατῆς ἁλὸς ἄψοφον ὕδωρ
55 ἴχνεσι φειδομένοισιν: ὑπὲρ πόντοιο δὲ κούρη
δείματι παλλομένη βοέῳ ναυτίλλετο νώτῳ
ἀστεμφὴς ἀδίαντος: ἰδὼν δέ μιν ἦ τάχα φαίης
ἢ Θέτιν ἢ Γαλάτειαν ἢ εὐνέτιν ἐννοσιγαίου
ἢ λοφίῃ Τρίτωνος ἐφεζομένην Ἀφροδίτην:
60 καὶ πλόον εἰλιπόδην ἐπεθάμβεε κυανοχαίτης,
τρίτων δ᾽ ἠπεροπῆα Διὸς μυκηθμὸν ἀκούων
ἀντίτυπον Κρονίωνι μέλος μυκήσατο κόχλῳ
ἀείδων ὑμέναιον: ἀειρομένην δὲ γυναῖκα
θαῦμα φόβῳ κεράσας ἐπεδείκνυε Δωρίδι Νηρεύς,
[46] Once on the Sidonian beach Zeus as a high-horned bull imitated an amorous bellow with his changeling throat, and felt a charming thrill; little Eros heaved up a woman, with his two arms encircling her middle. And while he lifted her, at his side the sea-faring bull curved his neck downwards, spread under the girl to mount, sinking sideways on his knees, and stretching his back submissive, he raised up Europa; then the bull pressed on, and his floating hoof furrowed the water of the trodden brine noiselessly with forbearing footsteps. High above the sea, the girl throbbing with fear navigated on bullback, unmoving, unwetted. If you saw her you would think it was Thetis perhaps, or Galateia, or Earthshaker’s bedfellow, or Aphrodite seated on Triton’s neck. Aye, Seabluehair marvelled at the waddle-foot voyage; Triton heard the delusive lowing of Zeus, and bellowed an echoing note to Cronos’ son with his conch by way of wedding song; Nereus pointed out to Doris the woman carried along, mingling wonder with fear as he saw the strange voyager and his horns.
65 ξεῖνον ἰδὼν πλωτῆρα κερασφόρον: ἀκροβαφῆ δὲ
ὁλκάδα ταῦρον ἔχουσα βοοστόλος ἔπλεε νύμφη,
καὶ διερῆς τρομέουσα μετάρσιον ἅλμα πορείης
πηδάλιον κέρας ἔσχε, καὶ Ἵμερος ἔπλετο ναύτης.
καὶ δολόεις Βορέης γαμίῃ δεδονημένον αὔρῃ
70 φᾶρος ὅλον κόλπωσε δυσίμερος, ἀμφοτέρῳ δὲ
ζῆλον ὑποκλέπτων ἐπεσύρισεν ὄμφακι μαζῷ.
ὡς δ᾽ ὅτε Νηρεΐδων τις, ὑπερκύψασα θαλάσσης,
ἑζομένη δελφῖνι χυτὴν ἀνέκοπτε γαλήνην,
καί οἱ ἀειρομένης ἐλελίζετο μυδαλέη χεὶρ
75 νηχομένης μίμημα, φέρων δέ μιν ἄβροχον ἅλμης
ἡμιφανὴς πεφόρητο δι᾽ ὕδατος ὑγρὸς ὁδίτης,
κυρτώσας ἑὰ νῶτα, διερπύζουσα δὲ πόντου
δίπτυχος ἄκρα κέλευθα κατέγραφεν ἰχθύος οὐρή:
ὣς ὅ γε νῶτον ἄειρε: τιταινομένοιο δὲ ταύρου
80 βουκόλος αὐχένα δοῦλον Ἔρως ἐπεμάστιε κεστῷ,
καὶ νομίην ἅτε ῥάβδον ἐπωμίδι τόξον ἀείρων
Κυπριδίῃ ποίμαινε καλαύροπι νυμφίον Ἥρης
εἰς νομὸν ὑγρὸν ἄγων Ποσιδήιον: αἰδομένη δὲ
παρθενίην πόρφυρε παρηίδα Παλλὰς ἀμήτωρ
85 ἡνίοχον Κρονίωνος ὀπιπεύουσα γυναῖκα.
καὶ Διὸς ὑδατόεντι διεσσυμένου πόρον ὁλκῷ
οὐ πόθον ἔσβεσε πόντος, ὅτι βρυχίην Ἀφροδίτην
οὐρανίης ὤδινεν ἀπ᾽ αὔλακος ἔγκυον ὕδωρ:
καὶ βοὸς ἀφλοίσβοιο κυβερνήτειρα πορείης
[65] But the maiden, a light freight for her bull-barge, sailed along oxriding, with a horn for steering-oar, and trembled at the high heaving of her watery course, while Desire was the seaman. And artful Boreas bellied out all her shaking robe with amorous breath, love-sick himself, and in secret jealousy, whistled on the pair of unripe breasts. As when one of the Nereids has peeped out of the sea, and seated upon a dolphin cuts the flooding calm, balanced there while she paddles with a wet hand and pretends to swim, while the watery wayfarer half-seen rounds his back and carries her dry through the brine, while the cleft tail of the fish passing through the sea scratches the surface in its course, – so the bull lifted his back: and while the bull stretched, his drover Eros flogged the servile neck with his charmed girdle, and lifting bow on shoulder like a pastoral staff, shepherded Hera’s bridegroom with Cypris’ crook, driving him to Poseidon’s watery pasture. Shame purpled the maiden cheek of Pallas unmothered, when she spied Cronion ridden by a
woman. So Zeus clove the course with watery furrow, but the deep sea did not quench his passion – for did not the water conceive Aphrodite by a heavenly husbandry, and bring her forth from the deeps? Thus a girl steered the bull’s unboisterous passage, herself at once both pilot and cargo.
90 κούρη φόρτος ἔην καὶ ναυτίλος. εἰσορόων δὲ
μιμηλὴν ταχύγουνον ἐχέφρονα νῆα θαλάσσης
τοῖον ἔπος περίφοιτος Ἀχαιικὸς ἴαχε ναύτης:
‘Ὀφθαλμοί, τί τὸ θαῦμα; πόθεν ποσὶ κύματα τέμνων
νήχεται ἀτρυγέτοιο δι᾽ ὕδατος ἀγρονόμος βοῦς;
95 μὴ πλωτὴν Κρονίδης τελέει χθόνα; μὴ διὰ πόντου
ὑγρὸς ἁλιβρέκτοιο χαράσσεται ὁλκὸς ἁμάξης;
παπταίνω κατὰ κῦμα νόθον πλόον: ἦ ῥα Σελήνη
ἄζυγα ταῦρον ἔχουσα μετ᾽ αἰθέρα πόντον ὁδεύει,
ἀλλὰ Θέτις βυθίη διερὸν δρόμον ἡνιοχεύει;
100 οὐ βοῒ χερσαίῳ τύπον εἴκελον εἰνάλιος βοῦς
ἔλλαχεν — ἰχθυόεν γὰρ ἔχει δέμας — , ἀντὶ δὲ γυμνῆς
ἀλλοφανὴς ἀχάλινον ἐν ὕδασι πεζὸν ὁδίτην
Νηρεῒς ἑλκεσίπεπλος ἀήθεα ταῦρον ἐλαύνει.
εἰ πέλε Δημήτηρ σταχυηκόμος, ὑγροπόρῳ δὲ
105 γλαυκὰ διασχίζει βοέῳ ποδὶ νῶτα θαλάσσης,
καὶ σὺ βυθοῦ μετὰ κῦμα, Ποσειδάων, μετανάστης
γαίης δίψια νῶτα μετέρχεο πεζὸς ἀροτρεύς,
νηὶ θαλασσαίῃ Δημήτερος αὔλακα τέμνων,
χερσαίοις ἀνέμοισι βατὸν πλόον ἐν χθονὶ τεύχων.
110 ταῦρε, παρεπλάγχθης μετανάστιος: οὐ πέλε Νηρεὺς
